The Cost of Discipleship

(Matthew 8:18–22; Luke 9:57–62; John 6:59–66)

25 Now large crowds were traveling with [Jesus], and He turned [and] said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and {does} not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his [own] life—he cannot be My disciple. 27 [And] whoever {does} not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.

28 Which of you, wishing to build a tower, {does} not first sit down [and] count the cost to see if he has [ the resources ] to complete [it]? 29 Otherwise, if he lays [the] foundation and is unable to finish [the work], everyone who sees [it] will ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man could not finish what he started to build.’

31 Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down [and] consider whether he can engage with ten thousand [men] the [one] coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if [he is unable], he will send a delegation [while the other king] is still far off, to ask for terms of peace.

33 In the same way, any one of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.